Electric mail-box and indicator



(No Model.)

H. F. STAUS.

ELECTRIC MAIL BO-X AND INDICATOR.

No. 337,796. Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. STAUS, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC MAIL-BOX AND INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,796, dated March 9, 18 6.

Application filed October 29, 1885.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, HENRY F. STAUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chester,

in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Mail-Boxes and Indicators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for signaling from a mail-receiving box to a pointin the building where such box is located when a letter is deposited in such box, and for indicating when the owner of the box is within or withoutthe building; and it consists in a mail box or receptacle containing three revolving contact-buttons of similar construction operated by a removable key, with an indicator operated by two pairs of magnets controlled by the two lower revolving buttons, and a series of circuit-wires leading thereto from the source of electric supply.

It also consists in an electric call-bell electrically connected with a pair of electric batteries, and with the third revolving contactbutton contained and supported within the mail-box, and a series of necessary circuittwires for producing such electrical connecion.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference denote like parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete apparatus, (the lower part O t e box being partly broken away to show the indicator mechanisrn,) showing the mall-box with its apertures for the reception of letters and for disclosing the indicator-arm, the pair of batteries, the call-bell, the locat1on and arrangement of the circuit-wires leadlng to and from the several revolving buttO S Co tained in the box. Fig. 2 is a front elevatlon of the indicator mechanism. Fig. 3 1s a side view of the mail-box and contact buttons. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the top part of the lower section of one of the revolving buttons, and Fig. 5 a view of the under side of the upper section. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the top of the said upper or outside sect on of one of the buttons, and Fig. 7 is a vertlcal cross-section of the complete revolving (No model.)

circuit-closing button with the key inserted therein. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the key, and Fig. 6 an end view thereof from the bottom.

The mail box or receptacle M is of any convenient form, preferably rectangular, of sufficient height, width, and depth to contain the mechanism hereinafter described, and having an aperture, F, in its front side, through which letters may be dropped into the box, and having also an inner perforated partition, G, 011 which such letters fall, and a door or other opening located between said aperture F and partition G. At a convenient place in the box, preferably the top above the aperture, is located the upper revolving contact-button, E, the lower section of the button being within the box, and the upper section protruding beyond the surface of the outside face of the box. At the base of the mailbox, below the partition G, two round or square holes, L and O, are cut, and on the inner side of the box opposite these holes are painted or otherwise displayed the words In Out, and below these, inside the box, is located the indicator mechanism, consisting of two of said revolving contact-buttons, A and B, connected by circuit-wires with two pairs of magnets, O and D, the button A controlling one magnet and the button B controlling the other magnet, as hereinafter more particularly described.

The location, connection, and arrangement of the circuit-wires are as follows: Between the pair of electric batteries 1 and 2 a connecting- Wire, 4, for the opposite pole, is used, and from battery 1 a wire, 5, leads to the button E, being connected with one of the bars 26, Fig. 4, therein, and also to one of the bars in the button A, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. A wire, 3, leads from battery 2 to the bell. WVire 6 leads from the bell to the button E, connecting with the opposite bar therein from that to which wire 5 is connected. \Vire 7 leads from battery 2 (the same pole of the-battery to which the bell'is connected by wire 3, producing reverse current) direct to wire 17, which connects opposite bars of the two lower buttons which control the two pairs of magnets O and D. \Vires 15. and 16, Fig. 2, connect with revolving contactbuttons A and B on right and left sides, respectively, of magnets Grand D. Wire 18 leads from post 12 to wire 5 by looping therewith. 1

The revolving contact-buttons A, B, and E are all constructed alike. They are made in two sections or halves, as shown together in Fig.7, and when adjusted relatively to each other, 'as shown in said figure, are held together by screws to a, or other suitable means. The top section, K, is an annular block of suitable material recessed from beneath to admit of the reception in such recess of the lower section, J. In the center of said section K acentral hole, 32, is cut to admit the middle prong, 19, of the key S, and in a diametrical line with said hole 32 two other holes, 23 and 24,eqnidistant therefrom, are cut to admit the outer prongs, 20 and 21, of the said key. A slotor slots, and 31, of circular form in length, are cut in the surface of said topsection and terminate in said holes 23 and 24.

- through the top section 'of the button, and in I The under side of said upper section isshown in Fig. 5. It is provided with a bar, 22, capable of being moved in the arc of a circle, and provided with a central hole in line with the hole 32, and of the shape of the prong 19 of the key. In its normal position the ends of this bar cover the under side of the holes 23 and 24. The under section or half of the contact-button is an annular non-conducting plate, preferably provided with a centralhole or slot, 33, to receive the end of the prong 19 and steady the key, and having two metal bars, 25 and 26, to opposite ends of which are attached the circuit wires. The key' S is shown in Figs. 6 and 8, its characteristics being three prongs, two, 20 and 21, being of equal length and of form to correspond with the slots and side holes in the button, and the center prong, 19, being of greater length and of such shape that it will revolve the bar 22 when inserted within the same. It is thus seen that different keys can bemade for different buttons on different boxes. I 3

The operation is as follows: The prong 19 is inserted in the top center hole, 32, of .the

button, which causes the prongs 20 and 21 t6 enter the slots 30 and 31, and the key is then turned until the bar 22, which in normal po;

sition covers the under side of the holes 23 and 24 has moved around and uncovered these holes, which is at the same time that the out; 1

er prongs, 20 and 21', of the key have reached the outer holes, 23 and 24, at the ends of the slots, which thus leaves a free passage-way for the penetration of all three prongs of the key consequence the center prong "enters the steadying or guiding slot 33, and the outer prongs touch the contact-bars 25 and 26, thus completing the electric circuit between them and thecircuit-wires attached th'ereto'th'rough the key S by its outside prongs, 20 and 21.

The bell R is of the usual andwell known construction of electric call-bell,v and need not be here more particularly described, nor the batteries 1 and 2, they being of the usual and well-known kind ordinarily used for like pnrposes.

Theindicator mechanism consists of two pairs of magnets, O and D,(arrangedasshown in Fig. 2,) wound with soft wire,and supported longitudinally in two supporting-posts arising from a base-support, from which latter arises a center post, 10, on which is pivoted at the'base an armature, N. At the upper extremity of the post 10 is pivoted a needle, H, carrying at its end a card, or having an enlarged end, so that when swinging from sideto side its end will cover and uncover alternately the holes L and O on the outer surface of the mail-box. This needle is of peculiar conformation in that it terminates in two prongs, forming a triangle or a cresent, in order that when armature "N, is drawntoprong with certainty. The action of this mechanism isas follows: when the 'key Sis- .25 and 26, closing the circuit,- which has the effect of drawing the armature N to the magnets D, thus shifting the needle H. A similar insertion of the key S in theop'posit'e button, A, draws armature N to magnets C, and thus moves the needle in the opposite direction.

I am aware that an electric mail-box has I been used in which the dropping of a letter or c'a'rdon an inclcsed platform in the box closes the electric circuit and rings a call bell;

but the great disadvantage of such a 'devicei s that the bell is kept constantly ringinguntil the circuit is broken by withdrawal of the card or letter, and such boxes being liable to be filled with letters, cards, circulars, advertisements, &c., this objection is 'so great as to make the apparatus exceedingly undesirable.

With my device the platform is a more receptacle for the letter, the circuit being closed only by the postman or some one possessing the key. It has the additional advantage of being a calling or signaling instrument from one part of the building to another, and also,

further, of electrically indicating or register" ing whether the proprietor or owner of the box is within or without the building, and so 'informingdeposit'ors of letters or callers, and

it is apparent that different forms ofke'y'scan 3 be made for different boxes.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Lett'e Patent, isv I I 1. An electric signal and letter box composed of the receptacle M, call-bell R, an electric battery, a series of circuit-wires, and' i' chit-closing mechanism consisting "of the revo'lving circuit-closing button E, constructed substantially as described, and a removable key, "S, having two contact-prongs and a'guiding-prong adapted to fit in said button and revolve-the 'same,as set forth. 2. The combinatiomwith the receptacle M constructed, as described ,with openings, L and 5 ward its attracting-magnetit will strike such 0, circuit-closing mechanisms, and electric battery, and series of circuit-wires, of indicator mechanism consisting of a pair of right-hand magnets, D, and a pair of left-hand magnets, O, armature N, supporting-post 10, and needle H, substantially as described.

3. Circuit-closing mechanism consisting of the upper and lower sections,K and J, the latter having metallic contact-bars 25 and 26, to which the opposite wires of an electric circuit are respectively connected,and the former provided with a central vertical opening, 32, and with vertical openings 23 and 24 at the termini of circular slots30 and 31 circumferentially surrounding, said central opening said upper section, K, being also provided on its under side with a rotating pivoted bar, 22, having a central vertical opening of irregular shape corresponding in position with said central opening, 32, said mechanism being constructed, combined, and operating substantially as set forth.

4. Circuit closing mechanism constructed substantially as described, in combination with a key, S, having a central prong, and also two side prongs of equal length, but the former being of greater length than the two latter and corresponding in form with the central opening in the pivoted bar 22 of said circuit closing mechanism, and said side prongs being adapted to fit said slots and re cesses 23 and 24, whereby on the insertion of said key in the vertical opening of the pivoted bar 22 and the rotation of the same thereby said outside prongs will penetrate to the surface of the contact-bars 25 and 26 and complete an electric circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 3d day of October, A. D. 1885.

HENRY F. STAUS.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS S. BRoWN, H. J. FENTON. 

